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Diogenes Laërtius Quotes

Diogenes Laërtius was a biographer of the Greek philosophers. Nothing is definitively known about his life, but his surviving Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers is a principal source for the history of ancient Greek philosophy. His reputation is controversial among scholars because he often repeats information from his sources without critically evaluating it. He also frequently focuses on trivial or insignificant details of his subjects' lives while ignoring important details of their philosophical teachings and he sometimes fails to distinguish between earlier and later teachings of specific philosophical schools. However, unlike many other ancient secondary sources, Diogenes Laërtius generally reports philosophical teachings without attempting to reinterpret or expand on them, which means his accounts are often closer to the primary sources. Due to the loss of so many of the primary sources on which Diogenes relied, his work has become the foremost surviving source on the history of Greek philosophy. Wikipedia  

✵ 180 – 240
Diogenes Laërtius photo
Diogenes Laërtius: 107 quotes12 likes

Famous Diogenes Laërtius Quotes

“The Stoics also teach that God is unity, and that he is called Mind and Fate and Jupiter, and by many other names besides.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Zeno, 68.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 7: The Stoics

“It takes a wise man to discover a wise man.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Xenophanes, 3.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 9: Uncategorized philosophers and Skeptics

“He said that there was one only good, namely, knowledge; and one only evil, namely, ignorance.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Socrates, 14.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“Let no one be slow to seek wisdom when he is young nor weary in search thereof when he is grown old. For no age is too early or too late for the health of the soul. And to say that the season for studying philosophy has not yet come, or that it is past and gone, is like saying that the season for happiness is not yet or that it is now no more.”

Diogenes Laërtius

122, in Moral Exhortation (1986), p. 33
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 10: Epicurus

“Another was, "Watch your opportunity."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Pittacus, 7.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 1: The Seven Sages

“Antisthenes used to say that envious people were devoured by their own disposition, just as iron is by rust.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Antisthenes, 4.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 6: The Cynics

Diogenes Laërtius Quotes about men

“The market is a place set apart where men may deceive each other.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Anacharsis, 5.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“One of the sayings of Diogenes was that most men were within a finger’s breadth of being mad; for if a man walked with his middle finger pointing out, folks would think him mad, but not so if it were his forefinger.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Diogenes, 6.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 6: The Cynics

“Euripides says,—
Who knows but that this life is really death,
And whether death is not what men call life?”

Diogenes Laërtius

Pyrrho, 8.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 9: Uncategorized philosophers and Skeptics

“It was a common saying of Myson that men ought not to investigate things from words, but words from things; for that things are not made for the sake of words, but words for things.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Myson, 3.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“Once when Bion was at sea in the company of some wicked men, he fell into the hands of pirates; and when the rest said, "We are undone if we are known,"—"But I," said he, "am undone if we are not known."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Bion, 3.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 4: The Academy

“Ignorance plays the chief part among men, and the multitude of words.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Cleobulus, 4.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 1: The Seven Sages

Diogenes Laërtius Quotes about God

“He used to teach that God is incorporeal, as Plato also asserted, and that his providence extends over all the heavenly bodies.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Aristotle, 13.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 5: The Peripatetics

“He used to say that personal beauty was a better introduction than any letter; 18 but others say that it was Diogenes who gave this description of it, while Aristotle called beauty "the gift of God"; that Socrates called it "a short-lived tyranny"; Theophrastus, "a silent deceit"; Theocritus, "an ivory mischief"; Carneades, "a sovereignty which stood in need of no guards."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Aristotle, 9.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 5: The Peripatetics

“One of his sayings was, "Even the gods cannot strive against necessity."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Pittacus, 4.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 1: The Seven Sages

“Socrates said, "Those who want fewest things are nearest to the gods."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Socrates, 11.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“They also say that God is an animal immortal, rational, perfect, and intellectual in his happiness, unsusceptible of any kind of evil, having a foreknowledge of the universe and of all that is in the universe; however, that he has not the figure of a man; and that he is the creator of the universe, and as it were the Father of all things in common, and that a portion of him pervades everything.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Zeno, 72.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 7: The Stoics

“That the gods superintend all the affairs of men, and that there are such beings as dæmons.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Plato, 42.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 3: Plato

Diogenes Laërtius: Trending quotes

“Heraclitus says that Pittacus, when he had got Alcæus into his power, released him, saying, "Forgiveness is better than revenge."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Pittacus, 3.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 1: The Seven Sages

“Plato was continually saying to Xenocrates, "Sacrifice to the Graces."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Xenocrates, 3.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 4: The Academy

“Another of his sayings was, that education was the best viaticum of old age.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Aristotle, 9.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 5: The Peripatetics

Diogenes Laërtius Quotes

“He used to define justice as "a virtue of the soul distributing that which each person deserved."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Aristotle, 9.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 5: The Peripatetics

“He has not acquired a fortune; the fortune has acquired him.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Bion, 50.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 4: The Academy

“Anaxagoras said to a man who was grieving because he was dying in a foreign land, "The descent to Hades is the same from every place."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Anaxagoras, 6.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“Of a rich man who was niggardly he said, "That man does not own his estate, but his estate owns him."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Bion, 3.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 4: The Academy

“The road to Hades is the easiest to travel.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Bion, 49.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 4: The Academy

“He used to say that it was better to have one friend of great value than many friends who were good for nothing.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Anarcharsis, 5.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“Plato affirmed that the soul was immortal and clothed in many bodies successively.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Plato, 40.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 3: Plato

“If appearances are deceitful, then they do not deserve any confidence when they assert what appears to them to be true.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Pyrrho, 11.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 9: Uncategorized philosophers and Skeptics

“Asked from what country he came, he replied, "I am a citizen of the world."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Diogenes, 6.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 6: The Cynics

“He used to say that other men lived to eat, but that he ate to live.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Socrates, 16.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“When asked what wine he liked to drink, he replied, "That which belongs to another."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Diogenes, 6.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 6: The Cynics

“The mountains, too, at a distance appear airy masses and smooth, but seen near at hand, they are rough.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Pyrrho, 9.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 9: Uncategorized philosophers and Skeptics

“Epicurus laid down the doctrine that pleasure was the chief good.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Epicurus, 6.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 10: Epicurus

“There are many marvellous stories told of Pherecydes. For it is said that he was walking along the seashore at Samos, and that seeing a ship sailing by with a fair wind, he said that it would soon sink; and presently it sank before his eyes. At another time he was drinking some water which had been drawn up out of a well, and he foretold that within three days there would be an earthquake; and there was one.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Pherecydes, 2.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“Pythagoras used to say that he had received as a gift from Mercury the perpetual transmigration of his soul, so that it was constantly transmigrating and passing into all sorts of plants or animals.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Pythagoras, 4.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 8: Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans

“When a man reproached him for going into unclean places, he said, "The sun too penetrates into privies, but is not polluted by them."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Diogenes, 6.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 6: The Cynics

“Xenophanes speaks thus:
And no man knows distinctly anything,
And no man ever will.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Pyrrho, 8.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 9: Uncategorized philosophers and Skeptics

“A man once asked Diogenes what was the proper time for supper, and he made answer, "If you are a rich man, whenever you please; and if you are a poor man, whenever you can."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Diogenes, 6.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 6: The Cynics

“He calls drunkenness an expression identical with ruin.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Pythagoras, 6.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 8: Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans

“The question was once put to him, how we ought to behave to our friends; and the answer he gave was, "As we should wish our friends to behave to us."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Aristotle, 9.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 5: The Peripatetics

“When asked what he would take to let a man give him a blow on the head, he said, "A helmet."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Diogenes, 6.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 6: The Cynics

“When Zeno was asked what a friend was, he replied, "Another I."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Zeno, 19.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 7: The Stoics

“Bion used to say that the way to the shades below was easy; he could go there with his eyes shut.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Bion, 3.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 4: The Academy

“In the time of Pythagoras that proverbial phrase Ipse dixit was introduced into ordinary life.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Pythagoras, 25.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 8: Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans

“That virtue was sufficient of herself for happiness.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Plato, 42.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 3: Plato

“Time is the image of eternity.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Plato, 41.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 3: Plato

“He declared that he knew nothing, except the fact of his ignorance.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Socrates, 16.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“Diogenes said once to a person who was showing him a dial, "It is a very useful thing to save a man from being too late for supper."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Menedemus, 3.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 6: The Cynics

“All things are in common among friends.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Diogenes, 6.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 6: The Cynics

“Epimenides was sent by his father into the field to look for a sheep, turned out of the road at mid-day and lay down in a certain cave and fell asleep, and slept there fifty-seven years; and after that, when awake, he went on looking for the sheep, thinking that he had been taking a short nap.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Epimenides, 2.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“Bias used to say that men ought to calculate life both as if they were fated to live a long and a short time, and that they ought to love one another as if at a future time they would come to hate one another; for that most men were bad.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Bias, 5.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 1: The Seven Sages

“Once he saw a youth blushing, and addressed him, "Courage, my boy! that is the complexion of virtue."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Diogenes, 6.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 6: The Cynics

“The chief good he has defined to be the exercise of virtue in a perfect life.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Aristotle, 13.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 5: The Peripatetics

“He alludes to the appearance of a face in the orb of the moon.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Epicurus, 25.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 10: Epicurus

“One of the sophisms of Chrysippus was, "If you have not lost a thing, you have it."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Chrysippus, 11.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 7: The Stoics

“Aristotle was once asked what those who tell lies gain by it. Said he, "That when they speak truth they are not believed."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Aristotle, 9.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 5: The Peripatetics

“Fortune is unstable, while our will is free.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Epicurus, 27.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 10: Epicurus

“Solon used to say that speech was the image of actions;… that laws were like cobwebs,—for that if any trifling or powerless thing fell into them, they held it fast; while if it were something weightier, it broke through them and was off.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Solon, 10.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 1: The Seven Sages

“Chilo advised, "not to speak evil of the dead."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Chilo, 2.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 1: The Seven Sages

“Asked what he gained from philosophy, he answered, "To do without being commanded what others do from fear of the laws."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Aristotle, 9.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 5: The Peripatetics

“Anarcharsis, on learning that the sides of a ship were four fingers thick, said that "the passengers were just that distance from death."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Anarcharsis, 5.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“Among what he called his precepts were such as these: Do not stir the fire with a sword. Do not sit down on a bushel. Do not devour thy heart.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Pythagoras, 17.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 8: Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans

“Wealth is the sinews of affairs.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Bion, 48.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 4: The Academy

“Writers differ with respect to the apophthegms of the Seven Sages, attributing the same one to various authors.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Thales, 14.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 1: The Seven Sages

“Bion insisted on the principle that "The property of friends is common."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Bion, 9.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 4: The Academy

“Being asked whether it was better to marry or not, he replied, "Whichever you do, you will repent it."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Socrates, 16.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“Solon gave the following advice: "Consider your honour, as a gentleman, of more weight than an oath. Never tell a lie. Pay attention to matters of importance."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Solon, 12.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 1: The Seven Sages

“Aristophanes turns Socrates into ridicule in his comedies, as making the worse appear the better reason.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Socrates, 5.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

“The question was put to him, what hope is; and his answer was, "The dream of a waking man."”

Diogenes Laërtius

Aristotle, 9.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 5: The Peripatetics

“The saying, "Practice is everything," is Periander’s.”

Diogenes Laërtius

Periander, 6.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 1: The Seven Sages

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